News Items

Philadelphia.—On the first Sunday in April,
being the 4th, the Hebrew United Beneficent Fuel Society of Philadelphia
held their sixth annual meeting, when the Treasurer reported the funds
in hand to amount to $625, of which $500 are invested in United States
six per cent. loan. During the year there were distributed to the poor
forty­eight half cords of wood, and nine tons of coal; besides which
several stoves were purchased, for the purpose of loaning them to
families standing in need of them. The amount of relief thus given is
greater than even the apparent quantity would indicate, as it supplies a
material costly under the best circumstances, and at the depth of
winter, when the small means of the poor are yet more than usually
limited, through the derangement of their business pursuits. It affords
us pleasure to be able to state that the funds have now reached such a
point, and the number of members is sufficiently large, as to cause not
the least apprehension to be felt for a successful continuance. We trust
that the society will find imitators in other large cities around us.
The officers elected for the current year are, President, Z. A. Davis;
Vice President, Isaac Leeser; Treasurer, Julius Jacob; Secretary, Simon
M. Klasser; Managers, A. Hart, A. S. Wolf, H. Polock, D. Pesoa, J.
Fatman, S. Elfelt, Benjamin Grünewald, S. Lyons, Jacob Ulman, A. T.
Jones, Isaac Lobe, and M. A. Van Collem.

New York Elm Street Synagogue.—We learn from
a reliable source that Mr. Leon M. Ritterband been elected assistant
Hazan of the congregation worshipping in Elm Street. We hear also good
reports of the ministry of Rev. Mr. Leo, and trust that much prospe­rity
may attend both incumbents in the discharge of their duties.

Congregation Shearith Israel, New York.—We
have received a copy of a circular issued by the trustees of the
Portuguese congregation, New York, which we communicate as a matter of
general interest to our readers, without other comment than that,
according to our expressed views, we deem the measure embraced therein
entirely too stringent, though we are free to confess that there may be
circumstances which induced the gentlemen of the board to issue this
special decree which, operating as it does as a warning, leaves
transgressors afterwards no room for complaining.

New York, 4th Nissan, 5607.

Sir:—At a meeting of the Trustees of the
Congregation Shearith Israel the following was adopted:

Resolved, That no seat in our holy place of worship
shall hereafter be leased to any person married contrary to our
religious laws; and no person married contrary to our religious laws
shall be interred in any of the burying-grounds belonging to this
congregation.

Ordered, that the clerk send a printed copy of the
foregoing resolution to each seat-holder.

Extract from the minutes.

N. Phillips, Clerk.

Albany.— During Passover, as we learn from
our private correspondent, the first semi-annual public examination of
the children attached to the school lately organized by the Rev. Dr.
Wise, took place. The examination was conducted under the presidency of
the President of the Beth-el congregation, assisted by the
School-committee, and the Reader, the Rev. Mr. Traub. A very interesting
introductory address was delivered by a male scholar of the first class;
after which, that class was examined in Catechism and lessons in
religion. The female teacher, Miss Chaplin, to whose exertion the
greatest credit is due, and who is a teacher any school may be proud of,
examined in Spelling, Reading, Arithmetic and Geography. Dr. Wise also
examined in reading the Prayer Book and Pentateuch; and much praise is
due to the Rabbi for his labours in teaching the scholars the true way
of becoming what they ought to be. The specimens of Writing, also,
afforded proof of astonishing progress during the first six months of
the existence of the school. The sight the examination presented, is
said to have been a pleasant one; and it was delightful to witness
parents watching, with great anxiety, to observe whether their wishes
would be gratified, and their children would indeed become learned; but
the progress then exhibited inspired them with the confident hope, that
they would not be disappointed, with the blessing of Heaven. The
examination over, prizes were distributed to the deserving scholars, and
the whole was concluded by an address from a female pupil of the first
class.

St. Thomas.—Mr. A. Wolff, the lately
appointed president of the congregation of St. Thomas, held a fair at
his house on the 2d and 3d of March, for the benefit of the Sunday
School of that place, and we are happy to state that it realized the
handsome sum of five hundred dollars.

Russia And The Jews.—We see it stated in the
papers that the Emperor Nicholas has lately issued a new edict, which
orders that Jews in the military service shall not be held to do active
duty on Sabbaths and holy days, but be left at leisure to. attend divine
worship. Also, that Hebrews may advance to the rank of lieutenant Both
these regu­lations are certainly a great concession, and an improvement
upon the iron policy of the Russians; especially the former, which gives
Israelites opportunities to attend to their religious requirements. We
trust, therefore, that the report which has reached us may be true, and
we can easy believe it to be so, without assuming a radical change of
policy in the Czar toward the Jews, as he often acts from the caprice of
the moment, as many of his ukases too well demonstrate.

England.—It affords us pleasure to learn
from late English papers, that Dr. Adler is using active remedies to
reform the defects of the various public charity schools in London, and
to induce the parents to send their children punctually; even to the
extent of furnishing some means from his private purse, where he found
relief was needed. We hope that the reform will also extend to other
educational establish­ments where the children of the rich are trained,
so as to give all an equal chance of becoming well instructed in the
concerns of our religion. Whilst speaking of England, we would
respectfully call the attention of our readers, some of whom we know to
be of the most influential classes, to use their earnest endeavours to
make the distribution of public charity less burdensome and
shame-bringing to the poor, than has lately been the case, if we are
correctly informed; we ought never to forget that the miserable and
needy are our brothers, and that they require equal delicacy in
relieving their wants, with that which we would claim were we in their
unfortunate position. We are too far removed from the scene of the
mismanagement which has been reported to us, to give the statement at
full length; but. surely we may be permitted to lift up our voice to
allude to abuses, concerning which the local press in London is not
permitted to speak from prudential considerations. As a brother
Israelite we feel a deep interest in all that relates to our race; and
we would remind those who have the ability to lead in useful public
measures, that “the charity which exalteth a nation,” must necessarily
be of that benignant kind which makes the suffering brother forget his
distress almost when he receives relief from the hands of those who
bless themselves for the opportunity of aiding others, and who only
think they discharge a duty whilst they fulfill the command of their God
in opening wide their hand to the needy one, their fellow-man, within
their gates.